Practical experiences are an integral part of the Sustainable Food Concentration. To fulfill your requirements, you must complete two distinct practical experiences. The goals for these experiences are twofold:

To provide opportunities to integrate the knowledge gained from various courses
in support of work related to the environment and the Sustainable Food Concentration.

To provide opportunities to learn from and critically reflect upon those experiences
outside of the classroom in a way that enhances your course of study at Smith.

Practical experiences may include internships and paid or volunteer work that aligns with the topic of sustainable food. The Lazarus Center
for Career Development and CEEDS staff can provide information on potential opportunities. It is your responsibility to arrange for two relevant experiences.

Requirements

To count toward the Sustainable Food Concentration, each internship, volunteer, or work experience
must meet the following minimum requirements:

Consist of 100 hours of work—roughly equivalent
to a semester-long campus commitment or a 2.5-week full-time internship. (In some situations,
a work experience may be concomitant with academic study that bears credit. The work component
should be distinct and, on its own, satisfy the 100-hour minimum.)

Focus on substantive, content-based
work.

Occur after your arrival at Smith.

Be approved by your concentration adviser.

Note: If Praxis funding is used to support the experience, there may be requirements
in addition to those outlined here.

In order to receive credit for your practical experience, the following steps must be completed:

Receive preapproval from your Concentration adviser using the Practical Experience Approval Form. (If you already completed a practical experience before entering the
Environmental Concentration, you may be eligible to receive credit for one experience. Instructions
on retroactive practicum experiences are below).

Have your practicum supervisor complete
the Supervisor Evaluation Form. Then meet with your concentration adviser to discuss your experience and sign the form.

Participate in the Interterm Concentration Retreat during both your junior and senior years.

Retroactive Practicum Experiences

With your advisers approval, a practical experience completed before entering the Sustainable Food Concentration may be accepted provided that it consisted of at least 100 hours, and took place after your senior year of high school and within 2 years of matriculating at Smith. Please consult your concentration adviser, and then document your experience by completing the Practical Experience Approval Form retroactively with your concentration adviser.

A deadline for submitting this paperwork to Joanne Benkley will be communicated to you after you have been accepted into the concentration.